What Can Cause Your Breath to Smell Bad?

Posted October 18, 2017.

Bad breath can be yours for various reasons, ranging from your intestinal tract, the bacteria in your mouth, and even tonsil stones. Today, our KC Smile Doc team in Kansas City, Missouri, is happy to help you handle these sources of less than appealing breath and get you back to smiling with confidence.

Intestinal TractDo you ever burp up unpleasant smells? These come from your intestinal tract, from acid reflux or stomach ulcers. Taking over the counter antacids or acid blockers can keep this from happening. Promoting the growth of the good bacteria in your gut, eating a diet that includes yogurt or supplementing with probiotics can help.

Bacterial ColoniesYour mouth can house millions of bacteria which form a sticky film called plaque which coats your teeth and tongue. As this colonization occurs, it emits unpleasant odors. To prevent this, be sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day and clean your tongue too. You can remove the bacterial coating on the tongue by brushing from back to front and rinsing well. If the toothbrush activates your gag reflex, you can use an inexpensive tongue scraper instead.

Tonsil StonesIf you have ever tasted something awful in your mouth, and it looks like a piece of crumbly cheese, you have just discovered a tonsil stone. Your tonsils create these stones as mucus and oral bacteria accumulate in the small crevices or pockets in your tonsils. Brushing and flossing without fail every day will help diminish this bacterial buildup. To get rid of stones that are already formed, you can use your oral irrigator to flush them out, or barring that, gently remove them using a cotton swab. Gargling with warm salt water once a day will also keep bacteria and mucus from setting up house in the tonsil pockets.

Keeping your breath fresher isn’t hard, but it does take effort. Maintain strong oral hygiene habits and keep all scheduled dental cleanings. To schedule your next appointment with our team, just call 816-822-0990. Our dentist, Dr. J. Richard Burch is more than happy to help you with all your oral care needs!